God Is - We Are

Genesis 6:13-22, 9:8-15

Connecting Questions

Share about a time when you started a project, it didn’t go well, and you had to scrap it and start over. How did that make you feel?
What experience have you had with a flood or a body of water that was scary or out of control?

Context

This week we continue our journey through Genesis in our series “God is...We Are” by looking at the story of Noah and the flood. Many people think of this story as a cute children’s tale about animals. How many nurseries have you seen with these images, right? The irony is that this is a horrifying story about the destruction of every living thing on the planet, except for a tiny remnant of animals and one family. Yikes!

It is important to keep in mind that this story falls within the first eleven chapters of Genesis. These are still the “creation stories” of the Hebrew people that are designed to wrestle with the big questions of who God is in the world and how God deals with people. The world has become extremely violent since our last lesson. Human society has descended into the darkness of murder, manipulation, and mayhem. The earth needs a reboot.

Look at the Book

Read Genesis 6:13-22.
What is God intending to do to the earth in verses 13-17? Why?
A covenant is a legally binding agreement; a pact and promise between two parties. What is the covenant God is making with Noah in verse 18-21?
How does Noah respond to God’s instructions in verse 22?
Chapters 7 and 8 record the destruction of everything by a flood. It’s horrible. Now read Genesis 9:8-15.
What is God’s promise in verse 11?
What is the sign of God’s promise in verses 12-13? The word “bow” literally means an archer’s bow, as in a bow and arrow. How might this definition change your understanding of the passage if you picture an archer hanging up her bow and arrow, instead of pointing at you?
Why do you suppose God decided to never again destroy the earth with a flood?

Taking it Home

There are many ways to interpret this story and understand the nature of God. Some people see God as an angry, vengeful God who happily wipes out life as punishment for sin. Some see God as having made a mistake with creation and trying over with Noah. What are some other possible ways to understand the heart of God from this story?
Noah was in a tough spot in this story. God asked him to do something crazy...build an ark on dry land! In what ways have you found it difficult to obey what you believe God asked you to do when it didn’t seem to make sense?
How would you fill in the blanks from this story: God is ______, We are _________.

Grow Guide | September 26